Virginia uses 2nd-half rally to top N. Carolina

By Associated Press

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Chris Williams scored six straight points during a go-ahead 13-4 second-half run Tuesday night and Donald Hand got hot when it counted as Virginia held off No. 21 North Carolina 87-85.

The victory was the 300th of Pete Gillen's coaching career, and came with the Cavaliers (12-5, 3-2 ACC) playing the ball-hawking, up-tempo style he favors.

North Carolina (11-7, 2-2) was forced into 21 turnovers that led to 29 points for the Cavaliers, dooming the Tar Heels into their third consecutive loss.

The end didn't come easily as North Carolina rode freshman Joseph Forte's long-range shooting to get back within 81-80 with 1:15 to play. Hand, who missed his first 10 shots, converted a three-point play with 42.2 seconds left and added two more free throws with 28 seconds to play as the Cavaliers ended a six-game losing streak against the Tar Heels.

The end of the game also was delayed when Virginia fans poured onto the court with three-tenths of a second left as balloons were released from the rafters. The court was cleared and the game ended with fans surrounding the court.

Williams led Virginia with 24 points, including six straight when the Cavaliers turned a 53-50 deficit into a 56-55 lead. Travis Watson added 17 points, Adam Hall had 14 and Hand finished with 12, all coming in the final 7:15.

The Tar Heels led 43-38 at halftime, getting the lead by scoring the final seven points. Earlier, North Carolina had runs of 10-0 and 11-0, but never led by more than eight because Virginia countered with 17-4 and 8-0 runs.

No. 11 Indiana -- 74 Iowa -- 71

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- By halftime, Steve Alford had gone from returning hero to just another coach trying to beat the home team. By game's end, coach Bob Knight's Indiana Hoosiers had just enough to beat Iowa.

Alford, one of the greatest players in Indiana history, returned to Bloomington for the first time as coach of Iowa. In the end, the cheers were for Kirk Haston and A.J. Guyton, who scored 25 and 20 to lead Indiana (14-2, 4-1 Big Ten).